The Sverdlovsk Region Office of the Investigative Committee continues investigation in in providing services that do not meet safety rules and entailed death of a person by negligence under Part 2, item “c” of Article 238 of the RF Penal Code after dead body of a 12-year-old boy with traces of drowning was found in the water of a swimming pool in Sokoliny Kamen sanatorium in Papanintsev street in the town of Pervouralsk on the afternoon of 28 January 2017.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that about 10 AM, 28 January, the boy arrived at the sanatorium with his 31-year-old mother from the town of Polevskoi to spend the weekend in there. About 3 PM, the boy who had had no safety briefing, went for a swim in the pool. He got into water without being stopped by any of the staff. A short time later he was found on the bottom of the swimming pool showing no signs of life. He was pulled out of water and the staff tried to resuscitate him, but unfortunately failed. The ambulance crew had to certify his death. No outer injuries were found on the boy’s body during examination.

Preliminary interrogations have also revealed that when the boy was swimming there were no lifeguards or instructors around. The boy lying on the bottom of the swimming pool was noticed by one of guests, who then pulled him from water.

At present, investigators and police officers keep on looking into all the circumstances surrounding the death. A team investigating the incident includes forensic experts of the regional investigative authority. Some physical evidence has been seized from the scene; the boy’s mother has been recognized the injured party and has been questioned; the investigators have confiscated documents relevant for the investigation and interrogated a number of witnesses; they have ordered a postmortem of the body to find cause of death. The investigators are now looking at the work of lifeguards and instructors, their cooperation, and if proper and timely medical aid was provided to the sanatorium staff. Following the results of the inquest, the investigators are going to give an assessment to actions (or omission) of the owner, administrator and lifeguards of the swimming pool. The progress of the investigation is being controlled by the senior officials of the regional investigative authority.